Origins of the Cloaked Schemer
by Jaganthunder
Summary: The story of Ienzo. From Ansem's apprrentice to Cloaked Schemer.
1. Chapter 1

Jaganthunder here with my first ever Kingdom Hearts story. This story is about young Ienzo and his life leading up to when he becomes Zexion. It takes place two years prior to BbS so by my estimate Ienzo is six.

This story is dedicated to my best friend Emily Tomlin, who lost her life Nov. 12, 2012

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its affiliates. I do, however own the plot to this story.

Ansem the Wise had heard of the boy who had read every single book the Radiant Garden orphanage had to offer. He had heard of the boy who, at age five, had witnessed his parents' murder and had yet to speak a word since. Ansem had heard of him but had never seen him. Yet as Ansem stepped into the dimly-lit bedroom and took sight of the boy, he could not help but wonder why he had not come to see the prodigy sooner.

He was a small boy, quite small for a six-year old. In fact, he looked closer to four. He was sitting cross-legged hunched over a thick tome, his metallic periwinkle hair covering most of the right side of his face. The child was wearing a worn pair of jeans and an overly large tee-shirt that did little to hide the boy's skinny frame. The one visible azure blue eye did not budge from the pages even as the middle-aged man stepped into the room. As the man moved closer he caught a glimpse of the book's title.

"Reading the dictionary, I see. Looking up any word in particular?" the man questioned. The child briefly looked up before returning his gaze to the book, shaking his head.

"Just reading for the sake of reading then, hm? A fine pastime if I do say so myself. Besides, if I've heard correctly, you've already read everything else here, haven't you?"

Ienzo, realizing this strange man was not going to simply leave be, closed his book and looked up. The man continued.

"My name is Ansem, and you are Ienzo, correct?" Ienzo's eyes widened at the name. Everyone knew who King Ansem the Wise was. But why was he there? Ienzo gave the king a questioning look, causing Ansem to chuckle.

"I see I have your attention. In that case, I have a proposal for you," he said.

Ansem visited a few times during the two weeks that followed. During these visits he would have more or less one-sided conversations with the six-year old. And every time Ienzo surprised him a little bit more. The boy scored extremely high on all his I.Q. tests and, while his social skills had much to be desired, his intelligence level was that of a college student.

On Ansem's final visit, the day he was to bring Ienzo home, the man found the child in quite a state. Ansem knew there had been some bullying from the older boys and such was to be expected. After all, with Ienzo's higher than average intelligence and diminutive stature he was a prime target for such sport. Ansem had seen the small child look roughed up before, but never like this. Apparently word had gotten out about the ruler's interest in what the other children deemed a freak and the aggression had escalated.

Ienzo was currently sporting a black eye, a twisted ankle, gashes, bruises and, to the man's horror, several intricate burns where pieces of wire had been heated up and pressed into his skin. According to the matron, Ienzo had gone missing for several hours. When she had finally found him, he was bound at the wrists and locked in a chest. Still, the boy shed no tears. As Ansem approached to brush his hand against one of Ienzo's bandaged arms, the boy drew back, a frightened look on his usually emotionless face.

"Shush, little one. It will be alright," he said to the child as he knelt in front of him, quietly muttering, "cura". A bright green light enveloped the child. Bruises, burns, twisted ankle, and his black eye disappeared before their eyes, leaving only some light scratches on him. "Now then," he said, standing up. "Ready to go see your new home?"

Ienzo nodded shyly, taking ahold of the man's hand. The two proceeded to leave the orphanage for the final time.


	2. Chapter 2: The Other Apprentices

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Heart or any of its affiliates.

I wrote this chapter while watching my grandpa on his deathbed. What a year. Without further ado, here's chapter two! (Hey, that rhymed)

Chapter Two: The Other Apprentices

Approaching the castle, Ienzo was awestruck. The magnificent building towered over them majestically with a lush garden below. Intricate designs covered the entire structure from top to bottom and two enormous white pillars stood framing the front entrance where two guards stood.

The first had jet black hair pulled back into ponytail and thick sideburns framing his face. His glaring eyes pierced Ienzo, making him flinch and take a tighter hold of his adoptive father's hand. His cowering was halted, however, by the disarming smile flashed to him by the other guard.

This second man was massive like a boulder with broad shoulders and wiry auburn hair. His rigid facial structure and hard blue eyes, which would normally intimidate the small boy, instead gave off a calming, protecting effect. A few feet from the entrance, they stopped. Ansem cleared his throat.

"Ienzo," he began,"these are two of my other apprentices. Dilan," he gestured to the frightening one. "And Aeleus," he said nodding to the mountainous one. He continued, "You can usually find them here guarding the door, or down in the lab." Ienzo nodded his understanding, still shy. The two made their way into the castle. Inside, the main hallway was long with many different directions to choose from. Ienzo, slightly frightened once more, shrunk back a little and tightened his grip on Master Ansem's hand. The man stopped walking and turned to him, concerned.

"Ienzo, my boy, what's wrong?" he asked. The scientist was met with silence. He sighed. "I know you're a little apprehensive, but you are perfectly safe here. I promise. You will see. The other two apprentices, although a little eccentric, are harmless." Ansem smiled at the small boy. He gently pulled the boy forward, towards a large room at the end of the hall.

Upon stepping inside, Ienzo realized the room was actually a grand dining room with a kitchen through an adjacent doorway. In the middle of the room was a long table surrounded by chairs. Two of the chairs were already occupied. There was a scrawny man with long limp blond hair and bright green eyes in a pale gaunt face. He was busily leaning over a mound of important-looking documents, a cup of tea beside him. On the other side of the table sat a younger man with sleek, long black hair eating his lunch. When he noticed the newcomers, he suddenly disappeared. Ienzo gasped in surprise as the man reappeared just inches from his face. The man was hanging upside down in midair, staring the young boy intently in the eyes. He grinned.

"Who's the pipsqueak?" he asked. Ansem chuckled.

"Braig, this is Ienzo. Ienzo, Braig," he said motioning to each of them. "Ienzo's going to be staying here with us from now on."

Braig, now right-side up, laughed and ruffled Ienzo's hair. "Glad to have you aboard, kid," the man told him.

Ansem smiled at the sight before him and continued on. "And this man here is Even," he gestured to the blond man who took his nose out of his papers and stood up.

"Pleasure to meet you, I'm sure," Even offered his hand skeptically, which Ienzo accepted.

Braig furrowed his brow. "What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?" he asked jokingly. Ienzo's expression darkened and he looked down as if waiting to be ridiculed just like he had been at the orphanage.

Luckily, Ansem answered for him. "Actually, Braig," he said quietly as he maneuvered the petit boy into a chair. "While he physically has the ability to speak, he hasn't used his voice in a long time due to unfortunate circumstances. About two years, according to his file."

As this conversation continued, Ienzo, bored, opened the book Master Ansem had given him, _Alice in Wonderland_, and started reading.

"Selective mutism" Even stated, going back to his makeshift workplace. 'Due to trauma, I'd bet,' he added silently in his head.

"Wow," Braig commented. "That must suck, not being able to talk and all."

"Yes," Even chimed in. "I daresay you cannot keep quiet for even one day, much less an entire year."

"Hey!"

"Yes, well," Ansem looked down at his newest ward with a contemplative look. "With time, perhaps you'll open up to us, one day," Ansem said, patting Ienzo's silvery purple hair.


	3. Chapter 3: The First Day in a New Life

I made it to ohayo con this year. That cheered me up.

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Heart or any of its affiliates. This story, however, is mine alone.

I've tried changing it, but in case I screwed it up, just know that Ienzo's parents have been dead for two years, not one. By the way, kudos to those who manage to find the Tales of the Abyss reference.

Chapter Three: The First Day in a New Life

The blackness faded from Ienzo's vision as his eyes opened up to his first day in his new life. His new bedroom was a pristine white with a queen-sized bed that he was currently sitting on. The room also contained a desk with a chair to go with it. On the chair sat a brand new plush to modeled after an unversed next to his worn handmade moogle. The wall directly across from him opened up to reveal a closet chock full of newly bought clothes just for him. Still, by far the best thing about his new room was the humongous bookshelf taking up half the adjacent wall. Right now its only occupants were a dictionary and his new _Alice in Wonderland_ book. But very soon it would be filled up with books from the castle library. Just as soon as Master Ansem took him there today.

Gasp! Master Ansem! He had totally forgotten. He was supposed to meet the man in his office for a royal tour. In a flash, he leapt out of bed, threw off his pajamas and ran to the closet and dresser. Quickly grabbing some underwear and socks, he started to get dressed. He put on a pair of blue sweat pants and a white long-sleeved chocobo printed shirt. He slipped on his shoes and darted in the direction of Ansem's office.

Thud! Ienzo looked up puzzled from where he lay on the floor. He stared horrified into the face of the master of the castle himself. Ansem stared at the child in surprise. When Ienzo had not met him in his office as planned, the lord had assumed he had either overslept or gotten lost. Hence he decided to go look for the precocious boy himself. What he had not predicted was that said boy would come sprinting through the hallways and collide with him. He carefully helped the boy to his feet. The child, still shaken, looked up at the man with embarrassment. Ansem chuckled.

"My! Quite the exciting morning, isn't it?"

Ienzo just stood there, unsure if he was in trouble. He hoped he was not. Trouble at the orphanage usually meant a spanking. He did not want to find out what causing trouble here would warrant. Ienzo was shocked to find a large comforting hand on his head.

"It's alright. No harm, no foul, as they say," the blond man said brushing him off. "Now, before I forget," the man brought a lab coat out from behind his body. "This," he started, slipping the stunned boy's arms through the sleeves. "Is yours. It is the true mark of a scientist. Wear it proudly." Ienzo examined himself. "Ha ha ha. Well it is a bit too big," Ansem observed.

That was an understatement. The sleeves were far too long, and the hem of the coat brushed the floor.

"Well, nothing a few folds can't fix. Besides," he said whilst he rolled up the cuffs on Ienzo's sleeves, "It is the smallest size we have." Once everything was situated, Ansem stood up and led Ienzo down the long hallway.

"These doors here," he gestured to his left and right, "lead to the other apprentices' rooms. Now, about your room. Right now it is rather plain but you have the right to decorate it any which way you like, providing, of course, it is in good taste."

The two continued down the hallway, turned left, and came upon two stairwells. One led up while the other led down.

"The up going stairs lead to the upstairs laboratory, which you'll see later. But for now, let's start with the downstairs lab." The stairway was dark and windy, lit only by peculiar green stones attached to the wall like torches. It opened up into a bright room. Ienzo had to shield his eyes while he waited for them to adjust to the sudden brightness.

There was a long counter, almost like a bar, directly across from the entrance. On it sat many tools of the scientist trade. Ienzo could not believe his eyes. There were beakers, Erlenmeyer flasks, Bunsen burners, and all sorts of chemicals. Four smaller tables sat scattered throughout the room. There at one of the tables stood Even working away over some green fluorescent chemical. At Master Ansem's approach, the blond man removed his goggles and stepped forward.

"Good day, Master Ansem. Showing our newest member around, I presume?" he questioned.

"Good morning, Even. And yes, Ienzo and I are just taking a tour of the castle. Speaking off which, we should be moving on to the garden. Good day, Even," he said, walking out of the lab and up the stairs. Ienzo hurried after him.

Ansem the Wise led his newest ward down a long hallway to a large door at the end. Ienzo realized this was a different door than the one he had come through the day before. This door led to the most gorgeous garden he had ever seen. It was much bigger than a regular garden, taking up the entire courtyard and had all kinds of flowers and little trees. There was even a wooden bench which the two headed over to sit on. Ienzo just could not tear his eyes away from all the flowers. In the distance, he could have sworn he heard running water from some sort of fountain.

"Now Ienzo," Ansem began, redirecting the child's attention back to him. "As a rule, I must insist you never come out here unless accompanied by myself or one of the other apprentices. You see, being this world's ruler, I have made some enemies over the years and I do not wish to see any harm befall you. Do you understand?" the man asked him. Ienzo nodded his consent. Ansem smiled at him, pleased with the child's obedience. "Well then," he continued, "shall we be on our way?" Back into the castle they went.

Nearing the end of the tour, they finally came upon what was to become Ienzo's favorite room in the castle: the library. It was enormous. Shelves upon shelves of novels towered above them, their musky scent giving the small boy a feeling of comfort that could not easily be explained. Lounge chairs and a couch sat scattered around a fireplace in the far wall. By the first left shelf of books sat one of many tables strewn throughout the grand room. And on this table sat a stack of books. Ansem led young Ienzo to this table. The small boy looked over the books questionably. There were textbooks covering science, fantasy novels, and even a few non-fiction books. Ienzo looked up at his new master with a disbelieving look.

The man chuckled. "These are just a couple of books I thought you might enjoy. As you can see, there are many more books here than just these, and you are welcome to help yourself to any one of them. I doubt even I have read them all," he said thoughtfully.

Ienzo looked around, awestruck. He had never seen so many books before. And Master Ansem just said he could read them all! At a loss for what else to do, Ienzo expressed his gratitude by hugging the chuckling man.

"You're welcome, my boy," Ansem laughed at the excitement and wonder only a child could possess. Slightly embarrassed, the young lad scurried over to the table and crawled up onto one of the chairs and started reading a book.


	4. Chapter 4: A Visit to Merlin's

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its affiliates. I got the story of the united world from the first page of volume one.

Chapter Four: A Visit to Merlin's

Ienzo huffed as he tried to keep up with the man in front of him. Currently, he and Even were on an errand to deliver a report to someone called Merlin. The apprentices had been working on an experiment for Ansem's colleague to find out if gummi blocks could be used as an energy source. Eventually the two scientists arrived at an unimpressive cottage. Ienzo thought it odd for there to be a cottage in the city, even if it was on the outskirts.

Even knocked on the door and a loud, "In a minute!" was heard.

"Now, boy," Even started. "Be on your best behavior. Merlin is a renowned sorcerer and an important acquaintance of Master Ansem's. Do you understand-Ah, Merlin! How do you do?" Even asked the old man who answered the door. The man was short with a long white beard and was garbed all in blue.

"Fine, fine. Come in, come in," the flustered man responded. As the two were ushered inside, Merlin paused, getting a glimpse of Ienzo.

"Oh ho ho," he sounded. "Now who is this young man?"

Even answered, setting the documents on a round coffee table. "This is Master Ansem's newest apprentice, Ienzo."

"I see. So where did the King find you?" Merlin's question was met with silence.

Even sighed, explaining, "He doesn't speak. Master Ansem found him at the Radiant Garden Orphanage. He legally adopted him about a week ago."

"I see. And how is that working out?" Merlin inquired.

"Well," Even answered him while Ienzo casually looked around the small abode. "He seems to be adjusting to his new environment." Ienzo was now looking intently at a wooden birdhouse. A glowing yellow eye suddenly became visible through the birdhouse door.

A loud, "hoo!" resounded throughout the cottage, startling its occupants and causing the youngest to let out a yelp, running and hiding behind Even.

"Conflabit, Archimedes! You know better!"

"Well I wasn't expecting company!" To Ienzo's surprise, the voice was coming from the owl that had popped its head out of its door. Merlin cleared his throat, gesturing to the coffee table. Ienzo moved over to sit at the table accordingly, getting yet another surprise as the tea kettle poured itself.

"So then, boy, has Lord Ansem taught you any magic yet?" The old wizard asked the child. The boy shook his head. He had not learned any magic yet, but he had read plenty of books on the subject. Drinking his tea, he chanced a look at Merlin's own bookshelf. Most of the books he had seen in the castle's library, but some were completely new to him. Like many children, Ienzo had a one-track mind, which is how Merlin caught him staring at the titles that ran along the bindings.

"See something you like?" Merlin chuckled at the childish innocence. Ienzo blushed as Even joined the chuckling.

"He does seem to rather adore reading. In fact, except for working in the lab, I've seen him do little else," Even commented. Merlin blinked, amused.

"Is that so?" he said, getting up and quietly making his way to the bookshelf. He reached up, and, after ghosting over several titles, picked out one that read, A Theory of Multiple Worlds". He brought it over to Ienzo.

"This here is one of Ansem's favorites. Did you know there are other worlds out there?" the elderly man asked. Ienzo shook his head. "Well," Merlin went on to explain. "Some believe there are infinite worlds out there, one for every star. In fact," he opened the book to reveal a page of beautiful illustrations, "in this book the artist tries to imagine what some of them might look like."

Ienzo took the book and started flipping through the pages, absorbing every word. The book spoke of a united world theory. It stated that long ago all the worlds were connected. This united world was filled with a warm light, the likes of which had not been seen in ages. This was because people fought over the light and eventually welcomed darkness into their hearts. Because darkness spreads so quickly, it was not long before the whole world was overcome by it and all but disappeared. Luckily, a small source of light remained in the heart of each child. According to the book, the children gathered the lights of their hearts together and recreated the world anew. Only now, there were many separate worlds. And that is why things were the way they were.

Merlin chuckled once more, watching Ienzo study the book.

"Such an inquisitive young lad," he remarked. "He'll make a fine scientist. I'm sure of it." Merlin rolled up his sleeves and, using his magic, commanded the tea set clean itself up.

Ienzo lifted his eyes from the book to watch the display of magic. Spilled sugar was brushed in to a dust pan, saucers stacked themselves in the sink, and tea cups waltzed to the sink to scrub themselves out. Merlin waved his wand once more and the dishes stilled their movements. He walked back to his bookshelf and, after scanning the titles, picked one out entitled, "Winnie the Pooh". He made his way over to Ienzo and, crouching down in front of him to be on the same level, he gave him the book.

The wizard smiled kindly before speaking. "Remember Ienzo, each story contains its own world. So take good care of it, okay?"

**Line break**

"Well it seems you made a good impression on Merlin, doesn't it," Even asked the young child, both waving back to the eccentric old man. Ienzo nodded, a small smile on his face. He wondered why the master's friend had given him what appeared to be a children's book. Oh well, a book is a book and he was not about to be ungrateful.

On their way back to the castle, Even decided to stop for a little treat. After the older scientist handed money to the vendor, he received a sky blue ice-cream popsicle.

Giving Ienzo the frozen treat, Even said, "For good behavior" and left it at that. Ienzo gave the frozen dairy product a lick. It was salty like the ocean, but sweet and refreshing, too. Ienzo decided he liked the taste of it. Seeing the sun beginning to set, Even told the boy to pick up the pace and together they headed home.

AN: Alright, chapter four complete. Next chapter, we learn more about Ienzo and Aeleus and get to see how the two interact.


	5. Chapter 5: Getting to Know You

AN: Finally onto one of my favorite chapters. Get ready for some fluff.

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its affiliates.

Chapter Five: Getting to Know You

Whenever there were no experiments to be done or lessons to be had, one could usually find the castle's smallest occupant in the library. That is precisely where he took up residence today, but he was not alone.

"Checkmate."

…Or winning.

Aeleus could not suppress a smirk as Ienzo fumbled putting the chess pieces away. The little one was starting to get discouraged. He had lost three different puzzle games to the older scientist. The tall teenager chuckled. It had been three weeks since the small child had come to live with them, and while he had yet to speak a word, he had proven himself to be quite expressive in other ways. Right now, the boy was furiously trying to find a game he could beat the elder scientist at. The silent giant, seeing a potential fit, intervened.

"Perhaps we could play a different kind of game," he suggested. Ienzo, intrigued, sat back in his seat and let the older boy set up. Aeleus grabbed a stack of paper and a pen. He handed the items to his small companion and sat back down across from the six year-old.

"This is basically a chance to get to know each other," he explained. "I'll ask a question and you answer it truthfully. Then you ask a question and I'll answer. Understand?" After receiving a nod from the little one, he started.

"Let's start out easy. What is your favorite part of the castle?"

'That's easy enough,' Ienzo thought, writing down, "the library".

Aeleus let out a small laugh. He should have known.

"All right, your turn," he said.

Ienzo quickly scribbled something down before showing the teenager.

"How old are you?" it read. A fair enough question. Due to his rare height and build, people often found it difficult to gauge his age.

"I'm fifteen. Now, do you have any siblings?"

Ienzo shook his head. He then wrote down, "Do you?" Aeleus nodded.

"Actually, I have three younger siblings. Two sisters and a brother. What did your parents do for a living?" he questioned.

Ienzo thought for a minute, trying to remember just what his parents had done. Then he wrote down, "Papa was involved in company trading and mama…" He paused suddenly before continuing.

Aeleus read the last part.

It said, "and mama watched me." Aeleus nodded, awaiting Ienzo's return question, but the tyke was still.

Aeleus sighed and stood up, crossing the table to sit next to the boy on the sofa.

He wrapped his enormous arms around Ienzo, picking the child up to set him in his lap. He tightened his hold on the boy, trying to offer some semblance of comfort.

"You must miss her terribly, huh?" the larger one said. The younger boy nodded, nuzzling into the firm chest of his new friend. Yes, friend. Aeleus was his friend. The older boy played games with him, gave him rides on his humongous shoulders, and was conscious of his feelings, always trying to keep him content. In fact, the auburn haired male was not just his friend. He was his first friend, his best friend. Ienzo smiled at that thought, turning in the other's hold to look up at him. Noticing the small tyke was no longer despondent, Aeleus smiled. He tickled the small boy, eliciting an equally small laugh from him. Suddenly Ienzo let out a huge yawn, rubbing at his blue eyes. Aeleus checked the time and, noticing how late it was, picked the yawning babe up and carried him out of the library. Down the hall they went, the younger snuggling into Aeleus's broad shoulders. Arriving at the smaller apprentice's room, the elder quickly went about getting the younger ready for bed. He got him dressed in his blue flannels and tucked into bed next to his moogle doll. The doll, apparently hand-made, had seen a lot of wear and tear. It had clearly been well-loved over the years. He had turned off the lamp and was about to leave when a tiny tug on his sleeve stopped him. He turned to look at the small boy who had a grasp on his shirt. Ienzo stared at him sleepily, not letting go of his sleeve. Aeleus blinked in confusion before a light bulb went off above his head.

"You want me to stay?" Aeleus asked. Ienzo pointed to his bookshelf. Now Aeleus understood.

"You want a bedtime story?" he inquired. Ienzo nodded. Aeleus walked over to the shelf and selected a book entitled, "The World of Winnie-the-Pooh".

He sat on the bed beside Ienzo and commenced reading. "Here is Edward Bear, coming downstairs now, bump, bump, bump, on the back of his head, behind Christopher Robin. It is, as far as he knows, the only way of coming downstairs…"


	6. Chapter 6: A Visit From the King

AN: Special cameo this chapter by one of our Disney favorites. I only hope his dialogue stays true to character. This is another of my favorite chapters, partly because of the relationship between Braig and Ienzo.

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its affiliates.

Chapter Six: A Visit from the King

Ansem the Wise was working away in his office when there came a knock at his door. He paused in his work.

"Yes? Who is it?" he called. The tall form of Dilan peeked its head in the room.

"Lord Ansem," Dilan addressed. "His Majesty Mickey Mouse is here to see you." Ansem stood from his chair.

"Ah, good. Let him in, Dilan," he commanded. Dilan disappeared from the doorway and the grand door opened fully to reveal a short black mouse garbed in red. He was wearing a heartwarming smile and had two black eyes that shone with adventure.

"Hello, Ansem. Long time no see," he said.

"Yes, it has been far too long, Mickey. How is the wife?" Ansem greeted, shaking Mickey's hand.

"Minnie's swell! How are your apprentices? I can't wait to meet the new one you wrote about. Congratulations, by the way."

Ansem raised a brow, confused. "Congratulations?" he repeated. "What for?" Mickey chuckled.

"On adopting a son, of course." Ansem's cheeks gained a little bit of color.

"Well, I-uh," he stuttered. "He's not exactly my son, you know?" he stated once he had regained his composure.

"But he's not exactly not your son either. So congratulations!" the mouse countered. Ansem smiled at his friend's logic. Then he thought about what was said. He was technically Ienzo's father now, but their relationship was more like that of a teacher and student than a father and son. Still, it was a nice thought. Perhaps one day the little one could think of him as a father.

"I believe," Ansem began, breaking that train of thought, "that young Ienzo is in the garden today."

"Very well," said the mouse. "Let's be on our way." The two started down the corridor.

"So," the king of Disney Castle started, "where are the rest of your apprentices?"

"Even is probably down in the lab, Dilan and Aeleus have guard duty this morning, and Braig should be watching Ienzo." At last, the two arrived at the castle's rear exit. Stepping into the magnificent garden, they could see Braig hanging upside-down in mid-air with little Ienzo laughing away in his arms. Mickey and Ansem approached the two. Upon catching sight of the royal duo, Braig up righted himself and the boy. Setting the lad on the ground, the sharpshooter turned to bow dramatically to the two kings.

"Good evening, Braig, Ienzo. Having fun, I see," said the blond man with a smile on his face. Braig scratched the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Just giving the kiddo a little demonstration of gravity magic," Braig responded, ruffling the little boy's hair.

"Is that so," questioned Ansem. He turned his attention to Ienzo. "Well, I've got someone here I would like you to meet." He directed the boy's attention to the mouse standing beside him. Mickey took this as a signal to introduce himself. He stepped forward, extending his hand.

"Hi," he greeted. "I'm Mickey from Disney Castle, and you must be Ienzo, correct?"

The small, purple-haired child stepped forward and oh so hesitantly took hold of the gloved hand.

This newcomer was strange in Ienzo's eyes. He could feel a warm light radiate from the mouse and his eyes shone with brilliance like none he had ever seen before. This creature was definitely from another world.

Mickey smiled warmly. So this was Ansem's new apprentice, the boy his friend had been bragging about in his letters. He was not exactly much to look at, but then again, neither was Mickey himself. Yes, Mickey Mouse had a good feeling about this one.

"So, Ienzo," started the mouse. "How old are you?"

Ienzo blinked and silently held up six fingers.

"Six, huh? So, how do you like living in the castle? Everyone here treating you well?"

Ienzo was silent and grabbed ahold of Master Ansem's lab coat. He held his arms up and made a whining sound. Sighing, Ansem obliged the tyke, picking him up and cradling him in his arms.

"He doesn't speak, Your Majesty," Braig offered.

"Oh!" exclaimed Mickey. "Sorry little fella. I didn't know you couldn't talk." Ansem looked at the little boy in his arms. Ienzo was attempting to use sign language. Ansem chuckled.

"Now where did you learn that?" the wise man asked.

'Aely,' the boy signed.

"Aely?" Ansem interpreted. "Who's that?" Braig cracked up.

"Aely," he chortled, holding his sides. "As in Aeleus?" Braig laughed even more as Ienzo, embarrassed, buried his face in Ansem's collar.

"Aw," cooed Mickey. "I think it's swell! Ienzo's clearly growing into his new family."

Ansem rubbed the small tot's back, trying to get him to come out of hiding.

"Now, now, my boy. Braig's not making fun of you," the man pacified him. Ienzo took his face out of hiding. "There now," Ansem said. "So how is Aeleus teaching you sign language?"

Ienzo simply singed, 'book.' Ansem made a noise of understanding.

"Of course. You two found it in a book, hm?"

Ienzo nodded.

"Ienzo here has been putting my library to more use than it's seen in years," Ansem spoke to Mickey, setting Ienzo on the ground. The young boy scurried over to a book that had lain forgotten in the grass. Taking just a moment to delicately brush the tome of unseen dust, he took it over to Braig.

"I see those two really get along nicely," observed Mickey, as Ienzo showed Braig the hand signs for 'gun' and 'guard' and the elder tried to repeat them.

"Yes," agreed Ansem. "The relationship those two share is quite an interesting one. One minute, Braig is teasing the lad relentlessly and the next he's holding the child, or making him laugh. More than anything, I believe, Braig treats him like what he is: a child. And that, my friend, is what he desperately needs in this life of his. He is protective of him, too." Braig was now holding the book in one hand, pretending to read it while he used his other arm to dangle the boy upside-down by the knees.

"So," Mickey started, "Is he getting used to everything around here?"

"Well," Ansem sighed. "He seems to be adjusting to his new routine and everyone treats him alright, but sometimes…"

"What?" the king of Disney Castle coaxed. Ansem looked at the tiny to thoughtfully.

"Sometimes it is as though he is of in his own little world. And then there are his reactions."

"What do you mean?" asked Mickey.

"For example, the other day he broke a beaker in the lab. Instead of alerting Even or myself, he attempted to clean it up himself. When I caught sight of him handling broken glass, naturally, I told him to stop, moved him away from the mess and admonished him, but instead of accepting it, he tried to clean the mess again. When I stopped him he just broke down and cowered away from me, as though he feared being hurt."

"Did he cry?" questioned the mouse.

"No, and that's another thing. He never cries, just makes this keening whine when he is upset."

The mouse thought for a moment.

"Well," he started, "what did the orphanage say about his personal history?"

"Actually," answered Ansem, "his social worker is scheduled to visit tomorrow. I was planning on asking then. All I know is that he was placed into foster care shortly after his parents' deaths, but it didn't work out." Mickey rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Well, with any luck, this social worker will be able to shed some light on the situation," the mouse said at last.

Ansem nodded.

"I certainly hope so."


	7. Chapter 7: The Social Worker

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or its affiliates. If I did, Zexion and Demyx would both have bigger parts. I own Miss Weathers, though I did model her a little after Olivia Benson from Law and Order: SVU.

Chapter Seven: The Social Worker

Deep in the heart of the castle's library sat a little boy reading next to a large stack of books. Today was to be an eventful day for him because today his social worker would be visiting. Ienzo knew all too well what this would entail. First, he would be asked a series of questions about his new abode and family, then the worker would jot down some notes and eventually, would give his or her input on whether he would get to stay at the castle. Ienzo was definitely not looking forward to that, to say the least. The door to the library opened revealing Master Ansem and a woman Ienzo had never seen before.

The woman was of average height and build with shoulder-length chestnut hair and deep brown eyes. Contrary to her young appearance, she radiated a feeling of authority, but also one of concern. Ansem stepped forward.

"Ienzo," he greeted. "This is your social worker, Miss Weathers." The woman looked down at him.

"So you're Ienzo. It's nice to meet you," she said. "Now, let's get down to business, shall we? Lord Ansem, if you would let me speak to Ienzo in private?" Ansem the Wise suddenly remembered something.

"Actually, Miss, could I have a moment with you alone first?" Miss Weathers raised an eye brow, but conceded. She followed Ansem out of the room and into the hallway. Once in the hall, Ansem turned to the woman, a serious look on his face.

"I would like to know about the foster parents who briefly took Ienzo in, if that is alright," the scientist inquired. The social worker nodded before speaking.

"Well," she started, "according to the reports, he was approximately four and a half years old at the time. He was with them for twenty-one days."

"I see," said the man. "What exactly was their reason for sending him back?"

"According to the couple, he fought with the other foster children and made no effort to get along with anybody. He also threw tantrums and was a pathological liar."

This confused Ansem. So far, Ienzo had exhibited none of these behaviors. He got along as well as can be expected with the others and did not tell any lies. He had not even thrown any tantrums and was very obedient. Actually, he was almost too obedient for a boy his age. Ansem led the social worker back into the library.

The woman walked over to a chair across from Ienzo. She took out her clipboard and faced the child.

"Now, shall we begin?" she asked. "Lord Ansem, if you would?" She motioned to the door. Ansem nodded then turned to Ienzo.

"Now Ienzo, you answer this nice lady's questions alright?" Ienzo nodded and Ansem left the room. Ienzo got his sketch book out, ready to answer his worker's questions.

"Now then, I saw your new room. Do you like it?" Ienzo nodded. "And the other people living here," she started cynically, "they are a great deal older than you I've noticed. That must be very uncomfortable for you." Ienzo shook his head and Miss Weathers raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Then tell me, how do you get along with them? Let's start with Even. How does he behave towards you?"

Ienzo thought. From what he had observed, Even was rather impatient when it came to children and usually presented him with a cold shoulder. Still, Ienzo was used to teachers ignoring him. Most teachers tended to dislike it when children were on par with them. Still, he did occasionally take him out into the city. Overall, he was not too bad. Ienzo wrote in his sketch book.

'Mr. Even isn't too bad once you get used to him,' it said.

The social worker nodded. She then asked about his relationship with the three guards.

"Do they pick on you or hurt you at all?"

Ienzo shook his head. He had not had any problems with the guards. In fact, Aeleus and Braig were generally very kind to him. They were much kinder than the foster kids at his last home. They never locked him in closets or called him a baby like the occupants of his previous home. Dilan kept to himself for the most part, but occasionally would speak to Braig during dinner. Ienzo wrote in his sketch book once more.

'The guards are nice to me,' it read. 'I don't know much about Dilan, but Braig and Aeleus are always very kind to me.' He paused before continuing to write, 'Aeleus is my friend.'

Miss Wheathers looked taken aback by that part. She cleared her throat.

"But he's so much… bigger and older than you are. Wouldn't you feel more comfortable in a home with children your own age?"

Ienzo's eyes widened and he quickly shook his head. In his experience, the kids his age always laughed at his mutism and made fun of his height. There were only a handful of children he had met that did not mock him, and they were all in the orphanage still. Besides, the people in this castle were much better at holding intelligent conversations. Ienzo certainly did not want to be taken away from all this. He quickly wrote.

'I like it here!' the note read. Then he continued on to write, 'I don't want to live anywhere else.' The woman raised her eye brows and smiled.

"Well," she began, "you certainly have made your opinion known." Ienzo felt his cheeks heat up. The woman continued. "Still, I have a few more things to go over before I can give you an answer. Now, how has Lord Ansem been treating you?"

Ienzo wrote some stuff down in his sketch book. He held it up for her to see.

'Master Ansem has been very kind to me. He even gave me some books.'

"Is that a fact?" Miss Weathers asked. "What kinds of books?

Ienzo showed her the stack of books that lay on the table between them. It was just a small sample of the boy's vast collection. There was a book on gummi blocks, one on monsters called unversed, and one about the history of the Garden. There was even a book on the Keyblade War. Miss Weathers looked over the vast selection with awe. Most of the books laid out before them were on a much more advanced level than she had expected to see a six year-old reading. She cleared her throat.

"My, that is some impressive reading material. You must really enjoy reading," she commented. Ienzo nodded and wrote something down in his sketch book.

It read, 'Master Ansem said I'm welcome to any of the books here.' He gestured to the book shelves surrounding them. Miss Weathers nodded and slowly stood up.

"Well, Ienzo," she started, "that's about it. I'll make sure to put in a good word, okay?" Ienzo stood up and led her to the library doors.

The lad was very pleased with his social worker's decision to let him stay. It was like a weight had been lifted off of his chest. He knew that the castle and its occupants were not a traditional family and had feared that he would be taken away from his new home.

Opening the door, Ienzo let a slight smile grace his face upon seeing Master Ansem waiting for them in the hallway. He quickly scampered up to the middle-aged man and held his arms up. Knowing instinctively what the child wanted, the blond man let out a laugh and picked him up into his arms.

"Well then, I see the session went well. I take it he gets to stay then, right?" Ansem asked, rubbing the mentally exhausted tot's back. The social worker nodded.

"Well, I have to give my report to my higher-ups, but so far, so good," she replied.

Ansem nodded and led the way out of the castle, Ienzo cradled safely in his arms.


	8. Chapter 8: New Friends

A/N: Finally, we're at chapter eight. I like this chapter because it deals with two new characters, who I know you'll be glad to see.

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its affiliates.

Chapter Eight: New Friends

It was a beautiful day in the Radiant Garden and young Ienzo was mulling over the results of his latest experiment nearby the illustrious fountains. Braig, who was supposed to be keeping an eye on him, was snoozing away under a tree, the leaves providing cool shade.

Ienzo was just finishing an equation in his notebook, when a splish-splash distracted him. He lifted his head from the papers and stood up, planning to investigate.

Turning the corner to the other side of the great fountain, he came upon a puzzling scene. There in the center of the fountain, playing with the spouts, were two boys. These strange intruders were clearly older than him, but seemed to pose no threat. One of them, the one doing most of the splashing, had the spikiest and reddest hair Ienzo had ever seen. The other teen had blue hair and piercing yellow eyes that were trained on the loud redhead. While Ienzo was busy staring at the duo, the blue-haired boy locked eyes with him, startling the miniature scientist. With a yelp, Ienzo hid around the corner.

Ienzo heard the splashing stop suddenly and a demanding voice called, "Hey, kid! Come out here!" Ienzo heard more splashes, each getting closer, until he was grabbed by the arm and turned around to face the grinning redhead.

"Hey!" the boy exclaimed. "Who are you, kid?"

Ienzo, scowling at his lack of manners, pulled his arm away and flipped his notebook to a new page. He then wrote down his name. The fiery redhead looked over the page.

"Ienzo, huh?" he grinned. "Nice name. That guy," he pointed to the blue-haired teen, "is Isa and I'm Lea. Got it memorized?" The strange teen pointed to himself while his friend rolled his eyes and strolled over.

"You shouldn't be here. Don't you know this is private property? Where did you come from?" The intruder's voice was strict. The smaller boy shrunk back as if scolded and simply pointed to the castle behind him. Lea's eyes widened and he ogled the tiny boy.

"You live in the castle?" he sputtered. The only answer he received was a nod. The two young teenagers exchanged a look before rounding on the smallest boy.

"You ain't gonna rat on us, are you?" Lea asked at last. Ienzo looked back in the direction from which he came and shook his head. Lea grinned again and grabbed Ienzo's small hand. The boisterous boy then led him to the water.

"Come on then. Let's play!" he said. Lea started the splashing, but it was not long before the other two had joined in.

This went on for about an hour before Braig's voice could be heard calling.

"Ienzo! Hey, Ienzo! Get over here! It's time to go in." This halted their playing and the two teens' eyes widened.

"Shit!" Isa cried. "Come on, let's scram before we get caught!" And with that, the two sprinted for the gate, waving to Ienzo on the way over it.

That is how Braig found him, soaked to the bone in the middle of the fountain, documents and notebook discarded nearby. Braig blinked.

"What in the world happened to you?" he exclaimed, holding his arms up for emphasis. Ienzo looked back and forth like some answer might magically appear before he just shrugged his shoulders and grinned. Braig sighed and picked up the abandoned notebook and documents.

"Well, come on then. We'll just have to give you a hot bath before dinner so you don't get sick," he told the child who then ran, still grinning, up to Braig and grabbed ahold of his leg. Today was a fun day.


	9. Chapter 9: Sick Daze

A/N: Before I get started, I'd like to thank each of my loyal reviewers. Your reviews are greatly appreciated and always brighten up my day.

Disclaimer: I do not own "Kingdom Hearts" or any of its affiliates. The idea for this story, however, is mine.

Chapter Nine: Sick Daze

It was a beautiful day for the residents of Radiant Garden. The sky was clear and a gentle breeze blew through the trees. Overall, it was a great day to be outside.

Unfortunately, young Ienzo would not be going out today. The reason for this was simple: he was sick. He had gone to sleep the night before only to awaken and prove Braig's worries true. He had a stuffed nose and a killer head ache and all he wanted to do was sleep. However the land of dreams evaded him and all he could do was moan.

"I see you're still feeling under the weather." Ienzo jumped. He had not even heard Master Ansem enter his room.

The wizened man looked at the child with sympathy. The poor boy's cheeks were flushed red with fever and little coughs escaped his throat. The ruffled silverfish periwinkle hair and his half-lidded eyes created a picture of misery. Ansem sighed, taking a tub of vapor rub off the bedside table and sitting down.

"Alright, my boy. This should make you feel a little bit better," he said. He pulled off the boy's flannel pajama shirt and opened the tub. Ever so gently the lord started rubbing the cream all over his chest while the child whimpered softly. With his free hand Ansem carefully brushed the stray hairs out of the boy's face while pacifying him with soft shushing noises.

"There now, all done," Ansem said softly, stopping and pulling the child's shirt back over his head and ruffling his hair gently.

Ienzo looked dazedly up at him signing, "thank you" before making himself comfortable in the large bed.

"You are very welcome my boy. Now get some rest and I'll send Aeleus in with some soup in a little while." With that Ansem left the room, closing the door softly behind him.

Ienzo snuggled up to his old moogle plush toy, inhaling deeply. Sometimes if he tried really hard he could still smell his mother's scent clinging stubbornly to the aged toy. It was days like this one that made him miss her the most. When he was ill, she would always cradle him in her arms and sing him soft lullabies until he fell asleep. As he thought of her voice and her warm gentle hands holding him he could not help but let a lone tear escape his deep blue eye. Still sniffling, he laid his head on his pillow and quickly fell fast asleep.

Awakening hours later, he felt a warm presence and a dip in the mattress next to him. As he slowly opened his eyes, the figure of Aeleus became clear. Aeleus was sitting on Ienzo's bed holding a warm bowl of chicken noodle soup.

"Time to get up," he gently told the child. "I've brought some soup to make you feel better. How's the head?" Ienzo sat up, wincing as the movement caused the throbbing in his head to increase. Not wanting to answer, Ienzo settled for a pout and a whine. Aeleus 'hmm'ed.

"That bad, huh?" he said handing the soup to the half-asleep child. "You eat your soup and I'll go get you some medicine." Standing up he continued, "After that I'll give you a nice warm bath, alright?" Ienzo nodded, eating his soup. With that, Aeleus left the room. Ienzo sniffled as he ate his soup, the warm broth feeling nice to his enflamed throat.

The little boy had just finished his soup and was about to fall back asleep when he heard his door open once more. In walked Aeleus carrying a glass of water and a small measuring cup of medicine. Ienzo scrunched up his nose. Aeleus, as if reading his mind, spoke up.

"It's not that bad, I promise. It should bring down your fever considerably," he said, handing the medicine and water over to the small lad. Wanting to just get it over with, he quickly downed the bitter liquid like a shot and chased it down with the water. Finished, he wiped his mouth on the back of his sleeve and set the items on his bedside table. With a keening whine, he raised his arms to be picked up. Aeleus chuckled and obliged the ill child's demands. Rubbing Ienzo's back, Aeleus carried him out of his room and across the hall to the bathroom. Aeleus set the tot down on the toilet and started filling the tub. He then made quick work of stripping the child and gently placed him in the tub. Turning off the water, he grabbed a wash cloth and started scrubbing the boy down. By the time he got to washing his hair, the little one was already beginning to doze off.

Once the broad teenager was completely finished rinsing the six year-old off, he grabbed a fluffy white towel and wrapped the yawning child up, taking him out of the tub in one efficient motion. Bending down, Aeleus unplugged the bath tub and brought his small bundle out of the restroom. He walked across the hall into the younger's bedroom. Gently setting the enveloped tot on the bed, Aeleus proceeded to pick out a new set of clothes. Deciding on a pair of pale yellow pajamas with little cactuars on them, he then grabbed some underwear from Ienzo's dresser and walked back over to the exhausted child. By this point, the lad was warring to keep his eyes open, so Aeleus carefully got him dressed in his underwear and pajama pants. Before buttoning up his shirt, Aeleus made sure to put a fresh layer of vapor rub on the small boy's chest, earning him a signed, "thank you". Finishing the job, the teenager buttoned the soft shirt. He then gently placed the half asleep boy under the covers and pulled them up to his chin. Deciding to stay with his sick friend, at least until he fell asleep, Aeleus made himself comfortable. Ienzo, recognizing the warm presence even in his half asleep state, took hold of his older companion's shirt, curling up to him. It wasn't long until Ienzo fell fast asleep, comforted greatly by Aeleus's protective presence.


End file.
